Clothes hanger



'M. LOWE CLOTHES HANGER April 27, 1948.

Filed Jan. 3, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 April 27, 1948. M. LOWE Q CLOTHESHANGER Filed Jan. 5, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 fig HTTQK/YEX' Patented Apr.27, 1948 2,44 0,637 CLOTHES HANGER" Martin: Lowe, New. York,

half to AbrakamrBlo N.- Y., ossignor atoneck,. New York, N Y.

Application. January 3, 1946; Serial No. 638,834

3 Claims.

This invention relates to-riew and useful lin protemeiits in clotheshangers.

This application is directed to similar subject matter as disclosed inmy copendiiig application for a clothes hanger Serial No. stress, fileol iovem'ber 10, 1945*.

This application particularly covei-s improved handles for operating thepair of shoulder pieoes so that the hanger may be readily manipulatedwith one hand.- With the improved handle por tioiis it is e. sim lematter to ivottheshoulder pieces of the hanger.

The invention also roposes new andimoroved latch means for releasablyholding the handle portions together.

Another object of the invention is the construction of a device asdescribed, which is sim ple and durable and which may be manufacturedand sold at a reasonable cost.

For further comprehension of the invention. and of the objects andadvantages thereof, ref-- erence will be had to the followingdescription and accompanying drawin s, and to the aooench ed claims inwhich the Various novel features of the invention are more particularlyset forth.

In the accompanying drawings forming a insterial part of thisdisclosure:

Fig. 1 is an ele'vationeil view of a clothes hanger constructed inaccordance with one form of this invention, the dot and dash linesschematically indicate a partially closed position of the hen ger.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentar horizontal sec'hmsl View taken on the line 2 2 ofFig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 33 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a side elevational view of soother clothes hanger embodyinganother form of invention.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary enlarged horizontal sectional view taken on theline 5-5 ofl ig". 4.

Fig. 6 is e fresmentery elevetionel View of still another clothes hangerconstructed in scccrdoiice with still another form of this invention.

Fig. '7 is a. fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 1-1 of Fig.6.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary enlarged transverse sectional view taken on theIifie S -50f Fig; 7:

The new and improved clothes fiiil'lgl as H lustreteo in Figs. 1 to 3inclusive; includes e pair of shoulder pieces H), H constructed ofsllkistantially flat material and hing'edly connected together at theiradjacent bottom portions with a pintle pin or rivet It. The bottomiortions of the shoulder nieces which are ensesed ediscerlt each other.

portions l4 and 1 shoulders HT and Here out out so as end I 5 oirecliiceo thicknesses The it are also provioeowithehuttins it whichliiiiitspivotiiis of the shoulder pieces l0 and H from a substantiallihorizontel position: upwards; However,- the shoulder ieces mend it aretree to pivot downwards;

The shoulder pieces Hi and H are orovloetl with cowardly directedhsiioleportions [8 and i8, respectively. These handle ortions project upwardsfrom points close to one above the hifige or theshoulder piecesit" andH. The heindleportions f8 and I9 normally shut each. other; and-furtherassist-inlinilting pivoting of said shoulder pieces from the horizontalposition upwards.

Th handle portion it continues into at top hook 2| by whiehthe hangermay he supported. A let h is connected with the handle portions [8 endi9=for releassbly holding said handle po e tions. This latch compr'iseseflexible element or hook portion 22 formed on the top snd rofootingfrooithe hohdle portion is and engageel'ole with s complementary keeperelement 23 iormed'on the handle oort'ion 18. The sioes of the heinol'eportion is are iorhieol with recesses 24 inthe Vicinity of thecomolementsrylreeper eleirieiitrfi so as to provide room for the fingertips when the hook portion 22 is manually gripped. This facilitatesmsnusl opening of the latch. The front of the hook ortion 22 is curvedeiicl ensagesble against is complementary curve formed on thecomplementary Iteeioerportion 23 which causes the when the shoulderpieces in and If are pivoted to -theirsubstantially horizontal position.Said handle portions It 921161" 19 have inwardlycurved sides b which thehandle portions is and is they be supportedwith the thumb and the thirdor fourth fingers.

The outer: ends of theshoiiloerpieces ill-snot H- are formed with slots28 provided with hook: portions- 2 for receiving and holding shoulderstraps and loopsof garments;

The operation and use or the clothes hanger may be understood from thefollowing:

- The clothes hanger maybe held with one'hsncl by eiigeg'ihg the fingersaround? the hassle per tions it and: It; With one of the fingers thehoolt portion 22 may be cam-med upwards ior opening the latch. Theshoulderpieoes I01 one H may thenbe let down by separating thefiin gers.The dot and dash lines H schematically inoicste snotheroosltion' of the:shoulder piece latch to automatically close portions shoulder.

H. In this way the clothes hanger may easily be engaged through the neckopening of a small necked garment. With the hands still holding thehandle portions I8 and W, the fingers may be moved together for movingthe shoulder pieces l and II back into their spread position. The latchautomatically closes when the front curved end of the hook portion 22strikes the curved complementary keeper element 23. The handle I8 and I9may be supported by the thumb and third finger and the index finger maybe engaged beneath the flexible element 22 and pressure applied to flexsaid element 22 upwards to open the latch.

In Figs. 4 and a modified form of the invention has been disclosed whichdistinguishes in several ways from the prior form. In this form theclothes hanger is provided with a pair of shoulder pieces 35 and 31 ofsubstantially fiat material hingedly connected together at theiradjacent bottom portions with a pintle pin or rivet 32. The adjacentbottom portions are recessed into relatively thin portions 33 and 35which overlap each other. The pintle pin or rivet32 is mounted throughthese overlapping portions. 7

Theshoulder pieces 30 and 3i are provided with handle portions 36 and 31projecting upwards at points close to and above the hinge pin or rivet32. The handle portions 36 and 51 normally abut each other for limitingpivoting of the shoulder pieces 3!! and 3! from a substantiallyhorizontal position upwards. Said handle portions 35 and 31 haveinwardly curved sides by which the handle portions 35- and 31 may besupported with the thumb and third or fourth fingers. The handle portion35 continues into a top hook 38 by which the hanger may be supported.The outer ends of the shoulder pieces 35 and 3| are provided with slots39 and hook portions 58 adapted to receive and hold the loops and shoul-Vder straps of garments;

A latch is mounted on the handle portions 35 and 31. This latchcomprises a fiexible element such as a leaf spring 42 mounted upon thehandle portion 36 and extending over the handle portion 31. The handleportion 31 has a cam shaped top projection 44 engageable into acomplementary opening 45 formed in the leaf spring 42. Said topprojection 45 has, starting from its inner end, a rising top surfacewhich terminates at its outer end in a downwardly extending The bottomend portion of the leaf spring 42 is wider than the thickness. of thehandle portion 31 so that there are projecting side portions 46 whichmay be easily manually engaged by the fingers. The front end 41 of theleaf spring 42 is turned upwards and is adapted to ride along the topsurface of the cam projection 44 when the handle portions 35 and 31 aremoved towards each other so that the leaf spring 42 is flexed upwardsuntil saidtop projection is aligned with said opening 45 and then theleaf spring 42 fiexes downwards and the outer end of the opening 45engages the shoulder of the projection 44 for holding the latch closed.

The operation and use of this hanger is substantially identical to theprior form. The shoulder pieces and 3| may be controlled with one handengaging the handle portions and 51. The latch automatically closes whenthe handle portions are moved together. It may be opened by moving afinger upwards against one or both of the side projecting portions 46 ofthe leaf spring 42. The handle portions 35 and 31 may be supported bythe thumb and third finger, and the index finger may be engaged againstthe edge of the leaf spring 42 and pressure applied to fiex the leafspring upwards to open the'latch.

In Figs. 6 to 8 inclusive still another form of the invention has beendisclosed. This clothes hanger includes a pair of shoulder pieces 50 and5| of substantially fiat material hingedly connected together at theiradjacent bottom portions with a pintle pin or rivet 52. The shoulderpiece 5| has a circular bottom portion 53 which engages against acircular socket formed in the shoulder piece 55. A pair of plates 55 aremounted upon the sides of the shoulder piece 55 and extend over thecircular portion 53. The pintle pin or rivet 52 is mounted on andthrough the plates 55 and through the circular portion 53. In this waythe shoulder pieces 50 and 5i are hingedly connected.

Handle portions 51 and 58 project upwards from the shoulder pieces 55and 5i at points close and above the hinge pin or rivet 52. These handleportions normally abut each other for limiting pivoting of the shoulderpieces 55 and 5| from a horizontal position upwards. However, theshoulder pieces 55 and 5! are free to pivot downwards. The handleportion 5? is provided with a top hook 59 by which the hanger may besupported. The handle portions 51 and 55 have inwardly curved sides bywhich the handle portions 51 and 55 may be supported with the thumb andthird or fourth fingers. V

A latch is mounted on and acts between the handle portions 51 and 58.This latch is in the nature of a bolt 55 slidably mounted in a slot 6!formed in the handle portion 51. A spring 52 mounted in the slot 5| actsto normally urge the bolt 55 outwards. The bolt 55 normally engages acomplementary keeper opening 53-formed in the handle portion 55. Thebolt 55 is slidably mounted between the top portions of the pair ofplates 55. A pin 54 is mounted on and through I the bolt and passesthrough short limiting slots 55 formed in the pair of plates 55.Projecting elements such as knobs or handles 53 are mounted on the endsof the pin 64 by which the bolt Bil may be manually moved into an opencondition. The front end of the bolt 55 is formed with a rounded camportion 68 by which it will be naturally forced inwards by a portion ofthe handle portion 58 when the shoulder pieces 55 and 5! of the hangerare spread open.

The operation and use of this clothes hanger is substantially identicalto the prior forms. With one hand it is possible to engage the handleportions 51 and 58 and operate the latch by moving the projectingelement or knob 55. In this way the latch may be opened and the shoulderpieces 55 and 51 may be let down to a desirable extent. The shoulderpieces may be moved back to their original positions and the latch willautomatically function to latch the handle portions 51 and 58 together.V

While I have illustrated and describedthe preferred embodiments of myinvention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the prescise constructions herein disclosed and the right is reserved to allchanges and modifications coming within the scope of the invention asdefined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention; what I claim as new and desire tosecure by United States Letters Patent is: V

1. In a clothes hanger having a pair of shoulder pieces of substantiallyflat material hingedly connected together at their adjacent bottomportions, fiat handle portions having inwardly curved sides andprojecting upwards from said shoulder pieces and normally abutting eachother for limiting pivoting of said shoulder pieces from a substantiallyhorizontal position upwards and by which the shoulder pieces may bepivoted downwards and then upwards with two fingers of one hand engagingagainst said inwardly curved sides, a projection on one of said handleportions, a leaf spring on the other handle portion and engaging saidprojection for holding said handle portions latched together, and saidleaf spring having side portions projecting from the faces of saidhandle portions by which the leaf spring may be manually engaged andflexed by another finger of said hand for unlatching said handleportions.

2. In a clothes hanger having a pair of shoulder pieces of substantiallyfiat material hingedly connected together at their adjacent bottom portions, fiat handle portions having inwardly curved sides and projectingupwards from said shoulder pieces and normally abutting each other forlimiting pivoting of said shoulder pieces from a substantiallyhorizontal position upwards and by which the shoulder pieces may bepivoted downwards and and then upwards with two fingers of one handengaging against said inwardly curved sides, a projection on one of saidhandle portions, a flexible element on the other handle portion andengaging said projection for holding said handle portions latchedtogether, and said flexible element projecting from said handle portionsby which the flexible element may be manually engaged and flexed byanother finger of said hand for unlatching said handle portions.

3. In a clothes hanger having a pair of shoulder pieces of substantiallyflat material hingedly connected together at their adjacent bottomportions, flat handle portions having inwardly curved sides andprojecting upwards from said shoulder pieces and normally abutting eachother for limiting pivoting of said shoulder pieces from a substantiallyhorizontal position upwards: and by which the shoulder pieces may bepivoted downwards and then upwards with two fingers of one hand engagingagainst said inwardly curved sides, a latch on said'handle portions forholding said handle portions latched together and having a projectingelement movable upwards for opening said latch and which may be manuallyengaged and moved by another finger of said hand for unlatching saidhandle portions.

MARTIN LOWE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 586,456 Rideout July 13, 18971,066,170 Wesner July 1, 1913 1,676,936 Trevino July 10, 1928

